After officially teaming up with Arthur, her visions eventually did confirm that he was "the one." And showed he was meant to fall in love with Guinevere, which was a key part of Kirby's prediction.
But by this point, she was in love with Arthur too (but just in complete denial of her feelings); however, this made her even more determined to make this vision a reality. To her, the prophecy was the only thing ensuring Arthur's happiness when she was gone... After all, she couldn't be with him forever...
Celestine convinced herself that this was what they'd been working towards: a better future... Arthur risked so much and chose to put his faith in her (well, Merlyn, that is); for this, she had a duty to ensure the prophecy came true. And with Guinevere, Wart's happy ending was "guaranteed..." (secretly broken-hearted...)
And so she'd planned to leave Arthur once Guinevere & he got together, only then would she consider her job was done... But, when the time came and Arthur finally met Guinevere-NOTHING... WHAT?! NO LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT? NO ZING!?
And it seemed like everything was aligned...WHAT HAPPENED!? Well, something happened, she never could've foreseen...
What was supposed to happen was: Arthur would go on with his life, never knowing who she was, and he believed Merlyn was just a mystical, magical old man he met in the woods who became his mentor, as so the legend goes, but now...HE KNOWS!
The moment he met Celestine... outside of her persona "Merlyn," he felt oddly as if they had met before. That look in her eyes was so familiar a gleam. (Sleeping Beauty reference ) It didn't take long for Arthur to figure out it was her... in fact, he wanted it to be her. Despite the change in her appearance, it still felt like "his Merlyn."
Flawlessly, hiding that he knew her true identity too, to him, they were the same person (Celty & Merlyn). And the moment he had found out she was Merlyn... the future was permanently changed. He could no longer fall in love with Guinevere...
Hooray for love, but OH, NO?! SHI- THE TIMELINE!
Keep reading for extra info: ( Heads up to the long-time followers, you'll notice a few changes to the lore in KBASW AU )
With this, I am officially confirming that "Yes, there is a Guinevere (WIP) in the KBASW AU..." and technically, she has been in this whole time. The homies on the Discord already know who she really is, but...
Guinevere = Galaxia
Which is why she was so essential to Arthur's future.
And like I have said with my other Arthurian counterparts: she follows the spirit as the OG version, but does not follow the same story as them entirely... Ultimately, she never got to have her romance with Arthur due to him falling in love with Celestine first... (and for another reason.) But that is a story for another day.
~
For those who are wondering, "why didn't she just tell him about the vision... or shouldn't she have seen it happen with her foresight?" Three reasons.
Reason 1: Telling jeopardizes it from happening!
She has learned the hard way that telling specific events of the future endangers the vision happening or sometimes makes it ever worse *cough* SHIVER STAR *cough*! Can't have that happen again...
Reason 2: Her future sight is unstable and constantly changing!
Remember, due to her cracked warpstar, her visions are sporadic (except when it's a full moon: 3 times only). And things can happen that change the constant future. She doesn't have the luxury to double-check if they're making the right decision...And the majority of her visions show her bad ones filled with tragedy and warning. (89 %) It's the main reason why she hates her foresight.
Reason 3:
Vague in nature (think Bruno from Encanto)... She's called the title as navigator of the constellation for a reason; her interruptions are an educated guess. Navigators estimate where they are, making their directions guiding ships to safer waters, based on their observations.
Celestin follows these principles when guiding others, out of a bad future and into a good one.
I want to make this abundantly clear... while Celestine is the navigator, ultimately it is Arthur's decision whether he wants to take that path or not... and how he wants to take it.
~
I hid a lot of symbolism; apples play such a big part in "The Mage behind the Man." What gave away Celestine as Merlyn to Arthur was her love for apples (Arthur is currently hiding in an apple tree). Arthur, who later on becomes the king of Avalon (which is also known as the Isle of Apples).
Along with this, the reflection of Celestine in the apple is a reference to the saying "the apple of my eye." Meaning that Celty had already claimed the spot as Arthur's most special person... Basically, (unintentionally) taking Guinevere's destiny away from her. And as a result gets trapped in the sword. A destiny that was actually meant for Celestine... (hope there's no drama) *evil laugh*
This is also a reference to the "forbidden fruit of Eden..." This is something that is not supposed to happen, but it does. Arthur never truly gets to perform his feats of glory with the Round Table, meaning he's been disqualified from "the throne". Which is why this happens ( The Knight of the Round Table's wrapped futures), if Guinevere never happened, then the Round Table never happens.
And one more reference I put in there... the Sleeping Beauty reference, for those who remember this (post). And this isn't going to be the last... >:3
And finally, reference from Merlyned... the name of Merlyn given to Celestine during their first encounter (before that, Celestin was the Nameless Rouge Mage.) Arthur had accidentally given her the name, so she's quite literally his Merlyn...
~ Anyways, glad I finally dropped this lore bit, NGL Artfight really helped inspire me. I feel so pumped, I'm gonna try to get back to writing"The Mage behind the Man"...
I think I finally have proper direction now with the story, with this bit of lore. I really wanna play with "twisted fate subplot. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the lore drop. Have a great day, everyone!
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I really made these two suffer, didn't I, but... at least I gave them their happy ending~ (Good job, me... it only took over 1000 years) Arthur would be the type of man to keep romancing his wife even after marriage.
I'm not ready for the announcement on these two yet (the one I've been alluding to since the New Year post), but I hold you guys over, please, enjoy this Merthur/Celarthur propaganda.
For my new views, this is a reference to this old post!
On no, I'm making the Celarthur propaganda again...
This takes place a little after the Merlyn reveal; Arthur had been assigned to be Celes
It went from Old-time Chivalry to Timeless~
This is meant to be a before & after of the original post, there's just something about Dragon Arthur that hits all the right notes. But in all seriousness, I think it's time I accept the facts... I've been in denial of this for far too long... I'm a simp for Sir Arthur! (and Dame Morgan, LMAO)
Helluva Boss just dropped this song, and I had to do this... and it fit Arthur & Celestine's well.
This fit Celestine's trial perfectly; it hit all the exact same emotional notes and tone. However, while making this, I realized I never made a separate post on the topic. I explained it in Lady Celestine's bio, but I think it deserves its own in-depth post.
Keep reading for more... and a spoiler warning for the helluva boss (if you have not seen the newest episode other than that, enjoy the lore content)
However, unlike Blitz, Arthur wasn't able to be at the trail... that would be Nonsurat's doing...
You see, Nonsurat had gathered enough evidence on Arthur that he was secretly aiding Merlyn... however, just as he was about to turn it in, it was stolen. (I believe it to be Arthur who stole.) He demanded a mandatory search around Arthur's sector... and Arthur had to be present while the trial was secretly taking place
Too bad he got the wrong man... Imagine his surprise to see his evidence being used during Celestine's trial!? And it couldn't have been Arthur they would've called him for the trial... but unbeknownst to him (Nonsurat.) He had been the catalyst of the worst day in Arthur's life... (that's why he's peeking in the back).
Sir Uther - Satan
Sir Icarus - Andrealphus
And I hope you guys enjoyed Kit being there & a little preview of Drosselmeyer
Also, to answer this question: @poyoofthestars
No, she does not, and however, she regrets not being able to prevent this incident from happening.... here's why:
(And buckle up folk this this layered like a lasagna)
So like Stolas, he very much needed and wanted to make sure that she was seen as this grand mastermind!
SHE PLANNED EVERYTHING!
This incident happened because her future sight warned her of Sir Nonsurat ratting out Arthur. She had stolen his evidence to frame herself... These were a series of horrible visions, seeing Arthur take the fall for her & die in her place in each vision, Arthur refused to reveal her identity... (It was supposed to be Arthur!)
Had she been careful, maybe she could have prevented this... or simply not involving Arthur at all. Truthfully, she was supposed to leave Arthur earlier on (the visions had warned her), but... she just couldn't leave his side... she just didn't have the heart to. And then, of course, thing- accidentally falls in love with him- Arthur finds out about the whole Merlyn - yadayadayada
In short, not only was she taking the fall for Arthur as Merlyn's secret accomplice... but she was taking responsibility for her actions leading up to this decision as well and (technically and inadvertently ) turning herself in as Merlyn... (I guess in a third-person type of way).
There was also the looming fact that Nonsurat knew the truth she didn't forget him. Committing such a heinous thing would make the irrefutable grand traitor that no one would ever question it. Imagen trying to convince people it wasn't Celestine after that fiasco she caused.
~
My main inspiration for Celestine's trial I got from GoT when it came to Tryion's trial... it's quite similar to his about his breakdown. After everything he did for the people of King's Landing, almost everyone was against him... just because he was a dwarf. Despite knowing that people had always looked down on him for this... he was still emotionally crushed when it was brutally confirmed during the trial.
(Similar to Tryion) During the trial, Celestine saw the very worst of what society had to offer. Despite all the contributions she made... everyone was ready to turn on her when they had the chance to take the piece of the political power she had.
While she indeed knew what was coming... it was the very act of witnessing too much of it all in one room. While she did all these grand things to benefit the galaxy & the GSA... all her contributions amounted to nothing to them... she was still disposable to them.
These were the mages that were responsible for her upbringing. Including Absolum, these weren't innocent by standards by no means. It was very much a painful truth that she was going to leave the galaxy with these horrible people...
And you best believe our girl got her Tyrion breakdown moment.
~
And it wasn't just senseless killing; she needed to sacrifice 500... for you see, Celestine is the reason why they disappeared.... Remember The final thing she had said: "I CURSE YOU ALL..." She really did curse them all the ancients. "Once you have reached the peak of their depravity, you shall all disappear..."
And what was the peak of their depravity... SEALING GALACTA KNIGHT! (Basically, Celestine, in a way, got revenge for Galacta Knight as well as herself) However, the reason Hyness got out of this was that he was exiled (a story for later, moving on)
``
Not only that, but it also solidified Arthur's importance to the ancients... Icarus wasn't able to stop her... nor was Uther. She was on the verge of having her body break completely. She was overloaded... but also given a tremendous amount of power as well.
So, by the time they caught up with her, Arthur had their little mock duel. It looked like Arthur really did a number on her... so coming out of this he looked like the grand hero. That where "WHAT ARE YOU DOING I DON'T DESERVE THIS..." fits in with Arthur.
He was painted as this Great Hero after her death... a titled as a Holy Knight and taking a position to replace Celestine. (In short, everyone was praising him for helping defeat the love of his life... ouch-)
~ Not only that it, it aligns with her counterpart Merlin's demise (aspects of it)
You see, I use the part of Arthurian legend that I can use in the story; in other words, the pieces that fit. And the pieces of that are merely elements of it. So bear with me when I explain this... it's very watered down, everybody.
In Arthurian legend, with Merlin's demise, in which he falls in love with a woman named Nimue. (Despite not loving him back...) Long story short, Nimue is creeped out by old Merlin...
However, she uses this love against him and then has him teach her all the magic he knows. And then, after that, he uses that against him to trap him in a cave (sometimes it's in a nook of a tree)... where he cannot leave and dies alone.
But the thing is... MERLIN KNEW THIS! When he sensed that his time had come, the man went, "I GUESS I'LL DIE!" And readily walked into his doom because he was in love. Despite warning Arthur of the very same thing, Guinevere.
Very much accepting of his death... and not even regretting the decision because it was meant to be and it was in the name of Love.
Despite Merlin's cringeworthy demise (the man could have stopped it... and his pursuit of Nimue was unsavory), there's something I found fascinating about it. Both Arthur & Merlin seemed to have had the same circumstances of demise in a way.
Despite knowing what would happen, both foolishly ignored the warnings and gave their loyalty & love to the wrong person. And due to their own foolishness & actions, it ended up being their greatest downfall, LOVE... which got my gears turning... And boom, this!
-
~So it's an act of revenge & an act of love all rolled up into one.
(hopefully, I didn't forget to mention a thing or two... or do a correction on the reread) But anyway hope you enjoyed it nonetheless and you are all around for the next one~
Thank you for all being so patient! Love you guys!
💋: what motifs/symbols do you associate with your ship?
I would love nothing more than to explain all of them.
Motifs/Symbols
When I say that they're the heart & soul of KBASW I mean it! Arthur & Celestine are the moral compass of the story/KBASW AU.
Tropes/Themes/Dynamics
@kirbyoctournament
As you can see once again I had too much fun. Sorry, it took a while for these inbox questions. I ended up putting them together because they went so "hand & in hand". (link to questions)
Once again I will say this again... "writing romance is a different type of beast I kid you not!" Shoutout to all the romance writers. I've been a single pringle my entire life so... that's why these posts (Celarthur/Merther) post take so long!
I hope my portals of romance aren't... I don't know how to put this "don't seem too romanticized" or that cringe (LOL).
Keep reading for my long in-depth explanation of the content. (and honestly I still don't think it's enough lol)
I hope you guys enjoyed the post.~
Please continue reading if want a full explanation of the following...
Motifs & Symbols explained~
Creatures:
Celestine: Owls are the symbol of wisdom, power, and spirituality; the birds of Athena. But they're also the symbol of bad luck and are also known as an omen of death.
I've worked this into her character, she's all known just like the animal she represents. But also worked the "bad omens" in her future sight... she mostly (if not always) sees horrific futures. Despite this, she's used that to her arsenal, after all, you learn more from your mistakes, or in this case horrible futures.
And of course, her "cracked warpstar" is her omen of death.
Arthur: Dragon (of course) can either be a force of good or evil. Bravery, ambition, and strength a symbols of adversity, and wickedness.
This paired so beautifully with Arthur's character, (since he is a redeemed good bean). All the best qualities can be used for good and evil... Also, I made his dragon green & red as a reference to the Welsh flag and well...
Alright truth be told the only reason I had Arthur go to "Yomi" is so I can justify why he as dragon monster form (I've been working on it)...hopefully you'll be seeing it soon
Flowers:
Celestine: Lotus represents overcoming adversity, the cycle of rebirth, and enlightenment. Not only that but spiritual growth.
Just like the flower itself, she was able to bloom in the murkiest water and despite all made the most of her life. The (sad) truth of it all is had she not had that hardship... she would have been just as egotistical & selfish as Icarus & Uther.
It was her "future vision" & her struggles that made her into such an empathic person.
Arthur: Marigolds represent family ties divinity and the connections between life and death.
And as I have recently revealed Sir Arthur is why Morpho Knight can go in & out of the living world. Also without spoiling anything refers to when he becomes King of Avalon. (and those of you who have seen Coco... there is indeed going to be a Marigold bridge that Arthur can create with his powers :3)
Elementals (symbols):
(Water power) Celestine (like her elemental) is a very go-with-the-flow person. She understands that the unexpected can happen at any moment and will change the course.
With Arthur when he's particularly stuck in a rut, Celty will give him options, or mentally stuck she goes to her "Rolodex of knowledge." Adaptive and flexible with he thinking, she's very willing to think outside the box.
This is also throwing Arthur's burn mark: I changed Arthur's burn mark (caused by Uther's fire magic) to just be the right shoulder. To represent the burning of the " angel on your right shoulder."
Celestine (who's a water element) is healing his right shoulder, or basically, the goodness he lost. Of course, the mark is still but in the sense he no longer bears the burden alone. "Literally taking the weight off his shoulders. " That he doesn't have to be this perfect soldier... that he can just be a "wart".
(Earth powers) Arthur, he can be stubborn (as a rock) and stuck in his ways, (which is why it takes him a while to get him out of Uther's thumb). But this also applies to his determination. Someone who doesn't give up and makes him incredibly ambitious.
When she's thinking "what I could've done" or "what I should've done", ruminating on it. (trapped in her own current) Using his "very a matter of facts" to remind her of what she's done, and that things are better because she did act.
Out of the many vast futures she sees, Celestine can rely on one constant... who was there for her was Arthur... he's her constant her rock. And was the thing that ultimately made her choose Arthur to be the one to help her fulfill Kirby's prophecy. Because she knew he'd still complete it even after she was gone/.
~
(I'd love to explain Arthur & Excalibur but if I'd go into detail with it that'd be going into spoiler. But for those of you who aren't familiar with Arthuriana lore... the true value of Excalibur is in the Scabbard...
But here it's for another reason... because the Scabbard & Excalibur are two separate relics. The scabbard belongs to Arthur... the sword however was never his.~)
The Yin & Yang to each other & when the sun and moon are brought together they form the dusk & dawn~ Taking on and bringing out the best in each other.
Tropes/Themes/Dynamics
Enemies to Lovers troupe & cop vs. vigilante.
As a result, they have such a fun back & forth and witty banter... but despite it they.
In short, the cop working for the corrupt system is first at odds with our lovable rogue. And believe they are the villainous one (because society says so), only to realize through their many interactions that they are fighting for good despite operating outside of the law.
Then eventually (the cop) realizes "Oh, crabs" I'm working on the wrong side. For Arthur, his hesitation/ignorance of this doesn't come from the idea of a "holier than thou mindset" (like Uther). Rather it comes from "I want to be accepted" & "I want to be worth something..." Arthur started as the weakest of the three (students of Uther) which is why he was burned by Uther (to be used as an example to the other two)
When he finally beat the odds it was his proudest moment. The desire to be seen by Uther was what blinded him and made him see his mentor as the pinnacle of what he should be. (but in reality, it was actually just a want for affection and praise.) And believed in these ideals (that Uther spits out), making the ends justify the means & ignoring the damage they cause. (For the greater good)
The fact that accepting this means that the suffering & all the hard work he went through were for nothing.
But it's through Celestine's influence as Merlyn who actively tried to expand his worldview. That there was so much more to life than war, and showing "Might is not always right" him there are other ways than (Uther's) brute force.
A more fulfilling & smarter way, where he can still do his duties without having to sell his soul for it. Having his first taste of unconditional love.
Leading him to be able him to befriend Gaius, and Kit Cosmo (who is Sir Kay in this) later become his sworn brothers, emotionally adopted by Sir Ector (Kit's father ), and tame/ befriend Fritz Stahlbaum (Ribbon's Grandfather).
The Double life /Secret Identity
Are very much an important aspect of Celestine's character. While she is confident in herself and who she is... it's not as herself it's as her alter-ego Merlyn.
Basically, being Merlyn it's not just her "redemption for Shiver Star" but this is also her escape as well.
She's seen as this hero, someone great and fantastical when she dawns on the the cloak and the mustache. She's the great mage Merlyn she can be herself... But when she's Celestine her true self she's seen as the broken... the useless Hero of Yore something to be hidden away and ashamed of.
(I'd know you from anywhere & any form)
Celestine only ever told her friends (Minerva Mimi- great grandmother, Dairus Drosslemeyr- Daroach's great uncle, and Velvet Stahlbaum- fairy Queen, Ripple's stepmother) about her Merlyn persona.
That's why it's such important that the only person to ever figure it out (without Celestine telling them... ) was Arthur. You see, Arthur Celestine as Merlyn, but as she became more popular in the diplomatic world, she. had to be seen more. (Much to Icarus & Uther's dismay~)
Arthur started to see the similarities between her and Merlyn... it was through her quirks & character that she was indeed Merlyn. And does not mind at all she's still the same person. Respectfully Arthur pretends that he does not know..
It was also through these interactions realization... that she does not value herself (true self) as Celestine.
And this hurts Arthur deeply, the person who he always saw as this amazing mage, who was the smartest person he knew.. doesn't see that in herself at all. Arthur has always asked her (as Merlyn) "what he could do to pay them for everything they've done for him..." But all they'd ever say was... "the fact that we're able to be finally partners in crime is enough for this old man" (basically they were saying, the fact we were finally friends & your company is enough).
Uses this as a chance (of knowing her identity and Celestine not being aware of it) to repay her for everything she's given him.
Not only that but he actively does things that make her more comfortable and appreciate herself more (as Celestine.) Buy subtly reminds her that she is Merlyn. And performing these small acts of kindness for her gives her chances to be herself around him and encourages it.
Scene Example of this/ & more of their Dynamic :
C: You know you don't have to do this for me, you merely have to just guard me have to-
A: Oh but I do...It seems your diplomatic work was overlooked... Unfairly I may add especially.
C: Thank you so much... War-ta (had to stop herself from calling him Wart) The war on the battlefield must be so physically taxing on everyone... people tend to forget it's a political one as well... this means a lot but in reality, it's not that much as you do.
A: I don't see it like that... if anything your battles are one of tongues
Y' know an old friend of mine told when people forget to appreciate you... you forget the importance of yourself, so they told me to perform small acts of kindness to myself... to remind myself.
I hope I'm overstepping or making you feel uncomfortable *sees her blushing & getting embraced*
C: No, it's nothing I just wasn't expecting someone to give me flowers today (Oh, hoot he's talking about me *as Merlyn*)... Your friend sounds wise~
A: Oh my friend? *smiles sweetly at her* I wish they could tell you this themselves... they have such a fantastic way with words... I don't know how convincing I sounded compared to them, after all... *looks at her directly* They're the smartest person I know~
C: Oh is that so * gets more embarrassed* that's so sweet of you to say... I should take his advice... I tend to forget this myself.
A: Oh no need to be so hard on yourself... Actually...* grins wickedly* the friend I speak of is actually a very old man... with very old bones... at first I thought he was making up old bones since he seemed so energetic for an old man~
C: Oh hoo hoo, hoot really? *nervously laughter
A: Ah, but alas I haven't seen him for awhile... perhaps its old bones have caught up to him... he just seemed so lively... but who are we to determine the vitality of the elderly after all... We're not old men!
C: Yes we most certainly are hoo hoo hoot *still nervously laughing*
Oh look dear we're already at the temple!
Good night dear have a wonderful evening *hilarious sprints inside*
A: Go-od night, My- la-lady *tries to stifle his laughter then-* AH BwaHAHAHAHAHAH!~
Alright, admittingly he does have a little slice of revenge for Celestine hiding her identity as Merlyn. With little fun jabs like that. (LMAO)
~
They do have this "More than the mask moment..." Arthur admits the only reason he ever found out that she was "Merlyn," was because they were the same person with or without the cloak.
Oh I have so many ideas for this but that'll be for another day~
Forbidden Love
And of course, it's forbidden!~
Since astral are born from wishes (made by the positive energy of the Fountain of Dream) there was no need for "relations". Not only that because of status, or (mainly Uther ), but a tragedy involving Sir Orpheus & his lover.
Uther took this as a chance to further his agenda "Look & at the tragedy of Sir Orpheus... look what happened to him and his lover! It's clearly a sign from Void... THIS LEADS TO WEAKNESS AND WEAKNESS LEADS TO DEATH! WE ARE SOLDIERS NOTHING MORE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIVERGE FROM THE PATH! THIS IS OUR LOT IN LIFE DO NOT BELIEVE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING ELSE!"
And yes that is indeed Papi. (Sir Orpheus )
Nobody Gets Me Like You ~
They are the two sides of the same coin. Both of them are trapped in the positions they were given...
Arthur is trapped in the position of being Sir Uther's (bloody) right-hand man, his Perfect Killing Mach- I mean soldier- his golden boy.
Celestine is trapped in the position of being the Oracle... the broken one, the one cast aside, the overlooked and underestimated.
The key to breaking these chains that they've been cursed with is finding self-love within themselves. And they find that within each other. "A Steven Universe Love like you" moment.~
It's this deep understanding and trust they have for one another that allows love to develop feelings for one another. Emotionally they're both dealing with the same issue.
Being able to be there for one another and not having to explain it allows the other to put their guard down. And truly fall apart in front of another knowing that the other will hold them together.
I really love these two so much... if you've read this long thank you so much I hope you guys enjoyed the post!
Fair warning: Lots of Lore dumping is about to take place /A long read... (but for those of you who want a quick read, you can just skim to the picture/image sections which will give a quick summary of what is being explained.) Have a great day!~
Lady Celestine was actually never supposed to be Merlyn... She was originally going to be the "Lady of the Lake... Nimue"
If you see in the earlier drafts I tried to hang on to the whole blacksmith idea/ and the creator of the scared items but then I just changed it to alchemist cause it was just I solidified her role as Merlyn~
She was going to be the soul inside the Galaxia, but she lost all her memories because she was the first to rebel against the ancients and withheld her creations as an act of protest towards them and the other Heroes of Yore... And was punished as a result, but before she was permanently sealed she performed her last act of defiance and scattered them about the galaxy.
(Via. Galaxia imprisonment )
While Sir Uther & Sir Icarus were supposed to fill the bigger roles of how the galaxy became a wasteland, she was written to be the only truly "Good hero of Yore."
Lady Celestine as Lady of the Lake:
I couldn't grasp what to do with her... She definitely had a more stern personality to fit Galaxia, but I just couldn't get on board with her character. The best way to say it is I think I made her "too perfect" (or the girl bossed her too much... I was reading Remarried Empress at the time, so basically, she had Navier's personality.)
Seemly cold & calculating but has a heart of gold underneath is all merely misunderstood. Very nonsense struggles with connecting Normally methodical and is always composed but has a sarcastic tic to her if you rile her up enough...
She was still an owl lady, but it was a reference to the Athena Goddess of Wisdom in Greek Mythology. (Owls often being associated with her and being her symbolic creature.)
I much as I loved the arctype (Navier's personality.)I wasn't in love with her character...
She had nothing really attaching me to her... it just felt like she was there to fill a slot as another hero of Yore she had nothing endearing about her... I didn't know what to do with her...But I didn't want to throw her away (I loved her design & color scheme).
That is until I ran into another problem...
For those who don't know in the original draft, Srir Arthur was supposed to be the villain in the series. (or the surprise villain so to speak~) However, once the rewrite happened and created Sir Uther in the au...all his evil went into him.
Especially once I changed his relationship with Meta Knight as his father figure and became the one who saved him from Sir Uther. But despite all my mind just kept seeing that man as a villain~
But then it occurred while creating this post (Link here ) ... Wait a second (*me taking a long good look, at Sir Arthur in the narrative*) WHY ARE YOU GOOD? I needed a reason why Arthur was good in the KBASW.
I wrote him too naturally accepting he just seemed too suspicious... plus... And besides with such a corrupt system in the GSA (the one created by the Ancients & Uther), how could one good egg exist...
So in a very "Meta" way (pun intended), not only was I trying to find a motivation for him to be good that convincing in the narrative... I was also trying to convince myself...
Perhaps if it was another character, it'd be enough, but... The Sir Arthur from the first draft kept creeping in my mind... (it's so hard to let go of your first ideas...)
Then the answer came to me... who (in Arthurian) was Arthur's mentor and confidant, and his compass in guiding him to become king...Merlin. I had a Sir Uther... why not have a Merlin! (Plus, in the show Merlin 2008: Arthur started out as a little jerk ward and only became a better person through Merlin's influence!)
Wait a moment... don't I have a character design on the back burner.
So, I fully committed to changing her role as the Merlyn of the KBASW... I was able to get a better feel for who she was in the story. This resulted in the current design & personality she has now...
Basically, I pulled both the Disney & TV versions and took my favorite aspect of both of them which resulted in the vigilante persona of "Merlyn" was actually a nod to the TV series Merlin's old man persona Dragoon...I did want to make a few changes to really make her more than just a counterpart to Merlin. (I think that's why I got so stuck on her the first time when she originally was the Lady of the Lake...)
So her future vision would always be the main part of her character. Though I made it the reason why she was such an empathic person. Not only seeing the future, but she can feel it too:~
To go along with the whole guide theme, I made it a part of her title as a Hero of Yore~. Celestine, the "Navigator of the Constellation." The four-pointed Star Crystal refers to the "North Star," the closest star to the celestial pole, the main compassing star to signal north... it was used to guide people home~. (The moral compass)
Due to her ability, she gets overly involved in situations and emotions. Since she has all these terrible visions, she feels responsible for them. Which results in her being overly critical of herself when things go wrong and lacking self-care. Despite hating her abilities, she is overly reliant on them...
Overall she's a smart, witty, scatterbrained, down-to-earth, well-meaning goofball with a sassy edge...
I was finally able to give Celestine the soul that she needed. And how did they become a couple, you may ask? When writing her her story was so entirely laced with Arthur (because of Arthurian legend) that their chemistry was undeniable...(Also I shipped Merthur in the TV series, so once I saw an opening I took it)
And she since was supposed to be Arthur's person. I used complementary colors to connect the both of them together. Adding orange & gold to her blues & yellow...
And so with that all said Sir Arthur became
The First Redeemed Villian of KBASW~
Redeeming the former baddies so they can use their skills and talents for the forces of good through kindness (Kirby). Celestine is basically the first one to do so... This did so much for the plot.
Sir Arthur: If someone like me could be given a chance and be changed for the better... Then so can this lot (Referening to Star Allies)
Arthur can naturally, relate to Kirby's menagerie of former villains who wanted to improve and be reformed. It fixed the problem of his niceness/goodness coming off as disingenuous (when I first was writing). There's a motive and reason behind them... Celestine. She showed Sir Arthur that there was a better way, a smarter way, a kinder way... It's her influence & example that inspired him to be a better man... a good man.
That's how Arthur gained the empathy & courage to stand up to Sir Uther and injustice when he was about to execute baby MK. It also enriches Meta's relationship with Sir Arthur... The man was barely holding on, and Meta gave him a reason to live.
Due to the Ancient cursing & erasing Celestine from existence, she was, he could not even speak her name. But Arthur was able to walk around this by speaking about that funny whimsical rouge that he was never able to catch "Merlyn." The stories always made Meta laugh; however, he could never understand why Sir Arthur would speak of this failure so fondly.
He deeply blames himself for not being able Celestine. Everything that happened to her was out of his control... This is why Arthur wants to create a better world, a place where Meta & Celestine would've been accepted.
Not only that, but he has this fear of being alone left. This is why he made the safest route for Meta Knight (to be one of the holy knights to keep him safe...), but wasn't the right path for him which (Leads to "Birth of Lone Swordsman...") and misunderstands. This makes it all the more heartbreaking to Arthur that Meta Knight thinks he doesn't truly love & care for all of him... when he does </3.
(Don't worry) He learns his lesson, and they make up (early on during Falsapr getting punished for the Fisher King incident, spontaneously meeting up when they're both saving Falspar...) It wasn't a proper talk and it was mostly Arthur and Meta apologizing because they missed each other.
MK only understands Sir Arthur after the war (& the Knightmare's End Saga). And goes to apologize to him again during the Kirby & Crystal Shard (I need a reason why the Meta wasn't there during the game... perfect excuse...)
Also presents a reason why Sir Arthur allows Meta Knight & Kirby to stay in Dreamland. "You deserve a chance to find yourself after this war... that man (Uther) can no longer have a hold on us... You have nothing to prove, you're free now... but if you need anything I will always be here waiting, just visit when you can okay?"
He learns his lesson, too, allowing him to leave & stay as he pleases... and the door was always open for him & Kirby the gang!~
(and someone gets rather jealous of this bias.... *cough* Dragato)
And of course, they do visit often (the plot demands it)... This leads MK to re-establish closeness with his mentor (learning from his own time with Kirby). Sir Arthur was trying his best too & he isn't perfect... he's not invincible... Wait what's happening to him...Why is he moving slower... His protector who seemed so unshakable...his father-... Is he getting weaker?
The early reconciliation is to make way for the true conflict: Meta realizes that his father figure is growing older & weaker. But why (*cough* Trip to Underworld *cough *the deal *)... like I said the man did not leave for free, a price had to be paid... (Did I have these two rekindle their wholesome father-son relationship only to have something tragic happen to the father... yes!)
There's such an emotional reason why Meta Knight has to become the leader of GSA. He's not only continuing Arthur's legacy but also Celestine's legacy. With the way Arthur raised him, he was able to instill the beliefs of her as Merlyn... And I also:
In the Kirby game series, Meta Knight always offers a sword to Kirby. It comes into play with Arthur's story. This act was done with Arthur & Celestine, however, not for the sake of due... for a very different reason... And this action & courtesy is passed down. (There's a hidden special meaning behind it... SWORD & THE STONE REFERENCE)
And so, making Celestine Merlyn was the best decision I ever made!
Celarthur/Merthur
Really, I wanted to engineer a love story that complemented the series as a whole... I was able to write Arthur as a fuller character as well as give an emotional core to him. And Celestine became a fleshed-out three-dimensional character and found his place in the narrative.
I KID YOU NOT THESE TWO SAVED EACH OTHER'S CHARACTER WITHIN AND OUT OF THE STORY! I LOVE THESE GOOBERS WITH ALL MY HEART!
@kirbyoctournament
Fun Fact:
Guys I kid you not she was so close to being named "Celestia..."But then I kept associating the name with My Little Pony~ (hardcore Brony back in the day) So she became Celestine...
~
@ceoofmetagala I got so excited when I got your ask (♟️it was the question I really wanted to get), and the fact that you were the one who asked made me so happy... I JUST HAD TO GO ALL OUT ON THIS POST~ And then I think I got carried away and ended up making it too long!~
I know you wanted this was just a questions 🫀 &♟️ on them:
♟️: When did you make your oc?
But it ended up being snowballed into the trial & error of creating Celty and how she wound up as the final version of herself.
🫀 : is there anything your oc and canon characters don’t like about each other?
I promise I'll get into this 🫀 A lot of people asked this. I'll get to the one soon... I wanted to do something extra special for this one... comic maybe~ (this was the one where I hinted jokingly that everyone wanted Arthur to get the couch~)
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Lady Celestine... do you know about the Arthurs from the other AUs does it bother you?
Sir Arthur: It's good that you bequeathed the name "Wart" to me long ago... Now I can be told apart from all the other Arthurs~
Lady Celestine: It's the gift that keeps on giving Wart~
(Celty getting all the forehead kissies)
@kirbyoctournament
The whole "Wart" & "Merlyn" nickname started out as a gag/reference (when I was originally writing their relationship ). Then this whole name scheme became layered like a dang lasagna... it became emotionally meaningful.
My Wart: You can be & and deserve to be loved "warts and all"
My Merlyn: You're amazing & incredible, just the way you are.
I'm bringing the feel train up next week be prepared~
~
And anon thank you for the question~ Though admittingly I wasn't sure if you were referring to the evil Sir Arthurs out there (sounded like it)... or that there are other versions of Sir Arthur in general. (So I did an all-encompassing answer, hope that's enough~)
~
And I'm not gonna lie... I love me some corrupt evil / morally grey Sir Arthur shout out to @galapathy, @zombiecicada, @thewinterraven
Great fantastic with their Sir Arthurs be zesty, & spicy in all the right ways! (STICK IT TO THE GREEN MAN~) And guys let me know if there are any others, I'd like to know more please~
Shout out to some other incredible & fleshed out takes on Sir Arthur:
@quanblovk, @doggirling, @deafeninggardenerpanda
For those who don't know in the original draft, Srir Arthur was supposed to be the villain in the series. (or the surprise villain so to speak~) However, once the rewrite happened and created Sir Uther in the au...all his evil went into him. But I wanted to "have my cake and eat it too..." so Sir Arthur (or Young Arthur) is a redeemed baddie~
And now "he's a certified good bean"
I took this one character from the Kirby anime who only had less than 5 minutes of screen time and gave him a convolutedly long and heartbreaking backstory just for the sake of bridging the "Kirby game verse" & " Kirby anime verse together" and to prequel all the events of the anime:
JUST FOR THE SAKE OF WORLD-BUILDING & EMOTIONAL STORYTELLING TO MAKE THE PEOPLE FEEL!
I'm not saying the power of love "fixed" him or anything; Arthur was always good at heart but his talents were being used by a truly rotten man who was snuffing the light out of him for his own selfish and nefarious purposes... lost his way~ (nearly became a mini Uther~)
Celestine didn't just save Arthur; Arthur saved Celestine as well~
(also this is why it took me so long Lady Celestine up until this point because writing romance is tough, and I wanted to create a truly wholesome & balanced relationship between the two of them. )
I'm really going to be getting into the meat & potatoes of their relationship. And hopefully, by the end, you will all fully understand why they love each other... I've been saving a lot of Celarthur content that's laid dormant in my deck.
Now that week 3 of the Kirby OC Tournament is on the horizon... I believe the time has come to pull out all the Aces in my hand and get you all emotionally invested... I hope you are all willing to ride this wave with me~
And cry a bucket of tears with me, look forward to it!
From Periwinkle (A fellow contestant in the kirby oc tournament made by @shibuyatoastedcursor )
To Lady Celestine
Hi! Nice to meet you miss, so about the tourney, what do you think about it? Also, this is unrelated, but what would you wish for if I sent over one thousand origami cranes to you?
//Those cranes are made with special magic that makes the holder's wish come true.
@shibuyatoastedcursor (Main, can't send asks without using anons, since tumblr apparently has a problem with me and it happened twice, first on this and second on @shibuya-toasted-with-extra-cream .)/ @shibuya-toast (alt to know when the ask is done, the problem hasn't reached here yet thankfully.)/ @askthedreamyversegang (Ask blog, Periwinkle is featured there as well.) / Honey Toast Anon (Anon nickname)
Celestine: I think it's a wonderful thing! It's a great chance to get more knowledge of other worlds & meet new people.
So I'm looking at it as an academic expedition, of the multiverse.
I'm not particularly expecting to win (the future is full of possibilities), but that would be just the cherry on top. <3